When thou hast made an end of tithing all thy fruits, in the third year of tithes thou shalt give it to the Levite, and to the stranger, and to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled:13 And thou shalt speak thus in the sight of the Lord thy God: I have taken that which was sanctified out of my house, and I have given it to the Levite, and to the stranger, and to the fatherless, and to the widow, as thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments nor forgotten thy precepts.14 I have not eaten of them is my mourning, nor separated them for any uncleanness, nor spent any thing of them in funerals. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God, and have done all things as thou hast commanded me.15 Look from thy sanctuary, and thy high habitation of heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou didst swear to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.16 This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these commandments and judgments: and to keep and fulfill them with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.17 Thou hast chosen the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways and keep his ceremonies, and precepts, and judgments, and obey his command.18 And the Lord hath chosen thee this day, to be his peculiar people, as he hath spoken to thee, and to keep all his commandments:19 And to make thee higher than all nations which he hath created, to his own praise, and name, and glory: that thou mayst be a holy people of the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.
These are evidently symbolic—hands, of action; heart, of deliberation; mouth, of speech. There is an excellent text on the subject of the penitent: "You have chosen God today to be your God, and the Lord has chosen you today to be his people." God makes his own the person who is eager to serve truth and reality and comes as a suppliant. Even if he is only one in number, he is honored on equal terms with the whole people. He is a part of the people. He becomes the complement of the people once he is reestablished out of his previous position, and the whole in fact takes its name from the part.
For if you keep the commandments which I command you, and do them, to love the Lord your God, and walk in all his ways, cleaving unto him,23 The Lord will destroy all these nations before your face, and you shall possess them, which are greater and stronger than you.24 Every place, that your foot shall tread upon, shall be yours. From the desert, and from Libanus, from the great river Euphrates unto the western sea shall be your borders.25 None shall stand against you: the Lord your God shall lay the dread and fear of you upon all the land that you shall tread upon, as he hath spoken to you.
שמר תשמרון [IF] YE SHALL DILIGENTLY OBSERVE [ALL THESE COMMANDMENTS] — The repetition of the verb implies an admonition to be very much on one’s guard: to be careful in respect to one’s study of the Torah that it should not be forgotten (cf. Sifrei Devarim 48:2). ללכת בכל דרכיו TO WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS — He is merciful, be thou merciful; He bestows lovingkindness, bestow thou lovingkindness (Sifrei Devarim 49:1). ולדבקה בו AND TO CLEAVE TO HIM — Is it possible to say this? Is He not “a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24)? But it means: cleave to the scholars and sages, and I will account it unto you as though you cleave to Him (Sifrei Devarim 49:2).
הוריש ה׳ THEN THE LORD WILL DRIVE OUT [ALL THESE NATIONS FROM BEFORE YOU] — If you do what devolves upon you, “I” will do what devolves upon Me (Sifrei Devarim 49:3; cf. Rashi on v. 14). ועצמים מכם [YE SHALL POSSESS NATIONS] MIGHTIER THAN YOURSELVES — You are mighty, but they are mightier than you; for if this does not mean to suggest that the Israelites are mighty, what superiority is it that he ascribes to the Amorites by saying “mightier than yourselves”? But the meaning must be: you are mightier than other nations and they are mightier than you (cf. Sifrei Devarim 50:3).
לא יתיצב איש וגו׳ NO MAN SHALL STAND [BEFORE YOU] — I have here the statement only regarding a man! Whence may I derive that the same applies to a nation or a family or a woman with her witchcraft? Because it states: לא יתיצב, “there shall be no standing before you” — under any circumstances. — If this be so, why does it speak of a man? It means a man, be he even as Og, king of Bashan (Sifrei Devarim 52:1; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 3:11). פחדם ומוראכם THE DREAD OF YOU AND THE FEAR OF YOU [THE LORD WILL PLACE UPON ALL THE LAND] — Is not, however, פחד the same as מורא? But פחדכם, “the dread of you”, refers to peoples near by, and מוראכם, “the fear of you” to those far away, for פחד denotes “sudden terror”, and מורא denotes apprehension enduring for many days (Sifrei Devarim 52:2; cf. Rashi on Sotah 20b and Niddah 71a; see also Rashi on Exodus 15:16 and Note p. 241 there). כאשר דבר לכם AS HE HATH SAID TO YOU — And where did He say this? In Exodus 23:27: “I will send My terror before thee” (Sifrei Devarim 52:4).
And all the priests made prayer, while the sacrifice was consuming, Jonathan beginning, and the rest answering.24 And the prayer of Nehemias was after this manner: O Lord God, Creator of all things, dreadful and strong, just and merciful, who alone art the goad king,25 Who alone art gracious, who alone art just, and almighty, and eternal, who deliverest Israel from all evil, who didst choose the fathers and didst sanctify them:26 Receive the sacrifice for all thy people Israel, and preserve thy own portion, and sanctify it.27 Gather together our scattered people, deliver them that are slaves to the Gentiles, and look upon them that are despised and abhorred: that the Gentiles may know that thou art our God.
Have mercy upon us, O God of all, and behold us, and shew us the light of thy mercies:2 And send thy fear upon the nations, that have not sought after thee: that they may know that there is no God beside thee, and that they may shew forth thy wonders.3 Lift up thy hand over the strange nations, that they may see thy power.4 For as thou hast been sanctified in us in their sight, so thou shalt be magnified among them in our presence,5 That they may know thee, as we also have known thee, that there is no God beside thee, O Lord.6 Renew thy signs, and work new miracles.7 Glorify thy hand, and thy right arm.8 Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath.9 Take away the adversary, and crush the enemy.10 Hasten the time, and remember the end, that they may declare thy wonderful works.
Have. He has pointed out the conditions for prayer, and now he gives a model. The Jews were at this time dispersed and subservient to the Egyptians or Syrians, which greatly afflicted them. (Calmet) — And shew. Greek, ( 2. ) “send.”
That. Roman Greek omits the rest. But Grabe retains, “all nations which seek not after thee.” (Haydock) — This prayer implies a prediction of the Gentiles’ conversion, as the psalms do frequently in like terms, Psalm lxiv. (Worthington)
But the angel of the Lord went down with Azarias and his companions into the furnace: and he drove the flame of the fire out of the furnace,50 And made the midst of the furnace like the blowing of a wind bringing dew, and the fire touched them not at all, nor troubled them, nor did them any harm.51 Then these three as with one mouth praised, and glorified, and blessed God in the furnace, saying:
Furnace: so that it destroyed the Chaldeans, while it had no power to hurt God’s servants. The operation of the laws nature was thus only restrained. (Haydock)
And we beseech you, brethren, rebuke the unquiet, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient towards all men.15 See that none render evil for evil to any man; but ever follow that which is good towards each other, and towards all men.16 Always rejoice.†17 Pray without ceasing.†18 In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.19 Extinguish not the spirit.20 Despise not prophecies.21 But prove all things; hold fast that which is good.22 From all appearance of evil refrain yourselves.23 And may the God of peace himself sanctify you in all things; that your whole spirit, and soul, and body, may be preserved blameless in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Having obtained good proof that thy mind is fixed in God as upon an immoveable rock, I loudly glorify [His name] that I have been thought worthy [to behold] thy blameless face, which may I ever enjoy in God! I entreat thee, by the grace with which thou art clothed, to press forward in thy course, and to exhort all that they may be saved. Maintain thy position with all care, both in the flesh and spirit. Have a regard to preserve unity, than which nothing is better. Bear with all, even as the Lord does with thee. Support all in love, as also thou doest. Give thyself to prayer without ceasing. Implore additional understanding to what thou already hast. Be watchful, possessing a sleepless spirit. Speak to every man separately, as God enables thee. Bear the infirmities of all, as being a perfect athlete [in the Christian life]: where the labour is great, the gain is all the more.
And after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart:2 And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow.†3 And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him.4 And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.†5 And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.†6 And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much afraid.7 And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them, Arise, and fear not.8 And they lifting up their eyes saw no one but only Jesus.9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead.
Or because in six days this whole visible world was made; so he who is above all the things of this world, may ascend into the high mountain, and there see the glory of the Word of God.
Mystically; When any one has passed the six days according as we have said, he beholds Jesus transfigured before the eyes of his heart. For the Word of God has various forms, appearing to each man according as He knows that it will be expedient for him; and He shews Himself to none in a manner beyond his capacity; whence he says not simply, He was transfigured, but, before them. For Jesus, in the Gospels, is merely understood by those who do not mount by means of exalting works and words upon the high mountain of wisdom; but to them that do mount up thus, He is no longer known according to the flesh, but is understood to be God the Word. Before these then Jesus is transfigured, and not before those who live sunk in worldly conversation. But these, before whom He is transfigured, have been made sons of God, and He is shewn to them as the Sun of righteousness. His raiment is made white as the light, that is, the words and sayings of the Gospels with which Jesus is clothed according to those things which were spoken of Him by the Apostles.
However, if any man discerns a spiritual sense in the Law agreeing with the teaching of Jesus, and in the Prophets finds the hidden wisdom of Christ, (1 Cor. 2:7.) he beholds Moses and Elias in the same glory with Jesus.
The bright cloud overshadowing the Saints is the Power of the Father, or perhaps the Holy Spirit; or I may also venture to call the Saviour that bright cloud which overshadows the Gospel, the Law, and the Prophets, as they understand who can behold His light in all these three.
The voice out of the cloud speaks either to Moses or Elias, who desired to see the Son of God, and to hear Him; or it is for the teaching of the Apostles.
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)